Residents press board on recovery housing, adjacent data center, sports facilities and water treatment at public comment

Multiple residents used the Sept. 9 public-comment period at the Henrico County Board of Supervisors meeting to raise distinct civic concerns ranging from recreational facilities to neighborhood safety and regional infrastructure impacts.

Badminton facilities: Matthew Verghese, speaking on behalf of roughly 550 community members, asked the county to consider more dedicated badminton facilities. Verghese said current public-court time is limited and overcrowded at Deep Run Recreation and Eastern Henrico Recreation Park; he told the board players travel outside Henrico to find weekday access. He said the badminton community would consider coinvesting and framed badminton as a growing, competitive sport that needs equitable access alongside county investments in other sports.

Neighborhood concerns about a recovery home: Thomas Rogers (who said he and his wife live at 903 Turnbull Ave.) testified about a property at 904 Turnbull Avenue he described as operating as a “sober living” or recovery house he says opened without neighborhood notice. Rogers alleged heavy vehicle traffic (Ubers, taxis, medical-transport vans, facility vans), on-site activity several dozen times a day, and at least one resident who is a registered Tier 3 sex offender. Rogers said the property’s management has not engaged with neighbors and described repeated emergency responses. Rogers characterized the operation as a poorly managed business rather than a home and asked the board for help. Deputy County Manager Rhodes (responding from the dais) said county staff had been notified recently, cited a new code provision by number in the meeting (372-431.1) that he said makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor to advertise as a recovery home without required licensure, and pledged staff would pursue available enforcement actions.

Data center project across the county line: Jonathan Ward of Wyndham told the board he is concerned about a proposed HH Hunt data center in adjacent Hanover County (a campus of multiple buildings on hundreds of acres). Ward asked Henrico officials to pursue a multi-jurisdictional consultation because, he said, the project could place large diesel-generator arrays within a mile of Shady Grove Elementary School, potentially increasing local air pollution and affecting downstream water resources in the Chickahominy watershed. Chair and staff said they had received inquiries about the project that week and that Henrico would pursue discussions with Hanover on issues affecting Henrico residents.

Rezoning notice timing: Joe Hines, an owner whose property faces a site that recently had a proffer-amendment request (North Atlantic Holding / PNF LLC), said he only received mailed notice the day of the meeting and asked whether adjacent property owners could meet the applicant before approvals proceed. The board’s action on that proffer amendment occurred in the same meeting; staff said notices and records are maintained per county code and offered to follow up.

Water additive allegation: During remote public comment, Sarah Ramsey repeated an allegation that the county’s drinking water contains “hydrofluorosilicic acid” and accused board members of responsibility. The board did not accept the allegation as fact; the comment was recorded as an allegation and did not prompt a vote or staff action on the floor.

Other public remarks included an announcement of a Sept. 26 job fair coordinated with Virginia CareerWorks and a request for staff follow-up on tax-assessment and REAP/REIT program eligibility from another resident who said he faced health and property-assessment challenges.

Board response and next steps: Board members and county staff acknowledged receipt of the concerns, noted new enforcement options related to recovery-housing advertising and said staff would follow up with affected residents. For the HH Hunt data-center concern, the chair said Henrico would seek to engage Hanover in good-faith discussions. Several public commenters asked staff to follow up directly with them; staff indicated it would do so after the meeting.